Monday, July 16, 2007 Dureza to lead anti-terror law monitoring team By Carlo P. Mallo
Body intended to ensure no rights violations are committed with the implementation of the anti-terror law
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza to head the monitoring body to ensure that no human rights or civil liberty will be violated upon the enforcement of the Human Security Act (HSA) Sunday.
Informally dubbed as the HR Quick Reaction Team, it was formed not only to address the concerns over the HSA but on any human rights violation that might be committed.
Dureza said the directives of Arroyo were to handle the monitoring of the human rights violations and to provide assistance to its victims.
"It is the mandate of the government to ensure that civil liberties are protected," Dureza said in an interview last Friday.
But Dureza said the battle against human rights violation is not the job of the government alone but of the citizenry as well.
"Citizen's support is very necessary in this battle," Dureza added.
With a citizenry that is vigilantly monitoring rights abuses and providing witnesses for such, he said, violators will have second thoughts on committing yet another violation. But when the violators go unpunished, criminals will continue with what they are doing with impunity.
"The rule of law will prevail if only people would help the government," Dureza said.
He added that it is only with the support and backing of the citizens that the government can put an end to extrajudicial killings.
